I Became the Childhood Friend of a D*ug Dealer

There was a place that sold bandages.

It was a store selling medical supplies.

I even bought several syringes.

Although Han Si-Hoo brought a medicine bottle, there might not be a syringe.

Unfortunately, there were no medicines that I wanted among the supplies.

But the academy is really spacious.

It’s wide enough to buy anything I want.

“When is the entrance ceremony?”

I asked while walking back to the dormitory.

“Entrance ceremony?”

“Yeah.”

The academy’s vacation is short.

It’s an educational institution created for the kids to catch monsters, so they can’t take long breaks.

“There are three weeks left.”

So there are three weeks left of break.

Thinking about mingling with the academy students already makes me feel lazy.

But, making friends is a good thing, right?

Right?

Still, I don’t want the effect of the medicine to wear off.

“Is there anything else I need to prepare?”

I need to check if I packed my supplies well before going to school.

Especially just before enrollment.

Isn’t there something besides the school uniform?

“No, it’s really okay.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, for school supplies… If I need them, I don’t have to buy them, and even the weapons are provided by the academy for the basics…”

He trails off.

Is there something wrong?

“That’s fine, but I’ll probably be assigned a new dorm room around the time of the entrance ceremony. From then on, I’ll have to be alone in the dorm.”

“Yeah.”

He says he’s getting a new dorm room.

“…I wonder if it’ll be okay.”

Han Si-Hoo spoke with an anxious tone.

He tends to underestimate me too much.

“It’s fine. I can handle it on my own.”

I haven’t had any problems living my daily life so far.

There’s nothing I could only do with Han Si-Hoo’s help.

I’m normal.

No problems at all.

I’m just taking medicine because I’m a bit unwell.

I’ll gradually get healthier.

So Han Si-Hoo doesn’t have to worry.

Even if he’s worried, he can’t just stick with me all the time.

It’s okay now since it’s vacation and there are not many people, but later, people will find it strange.

“By the way, how will I get the medicine from now on?”

“They said it’ll be delivered once a week.”

“Delivered?”

“There’s a delivery system operated by the academy, but for now, I’m supposed to receive the medicines.”

“I see.”

Did the academy have something like a post office?

It truly is a place that treats Awakeners specially, so there’s everything.

“And soon, the academy will give you a device. For a while, you can use that as a phone instead.”

“Okay.”

I thought I would need that anyway.

I should have a means of communication.

“If any problems arise at the academy, let me know immediately. I’ll stick around for now, but later… who knows what will happen.”

“Got it.”

I hope there won’t be anything to talk about.

The best problem is one that doesn’t come up in the first place.

“Is there anything else you’re curious about?”

After that, I got explanations from Han Si-Hoo about what’s in the academy and how the academy’s system works.

Just hearing about it was intriguing.

A strict, meritocratic hierarchy.

Where would Yoo Seo-Ah fit into the academy’s hierarchy pyramid?

The bottom?

But if I have medicine, then maybe not the bottom.

[3 hours 55 minutes]

Not this medicine.

Medicine that’s good for fighting.

Should I ask the doctor for it?

It’s impossible since I don’t have contact information.

“Can’t I go home now?”

Han Si-Hoo took care of the medicine, but still.

Home is home.

“Right now… it would be tough. Let’s go later when your body is all healed. Then they’ll give you an exit pass from the academy.”

The last time I visited Han Si-Hoo to borrow money, I received something like a pass.

It’s probably a similar system.

“Even during vacation?”

“During breaks, you can go out freely, but you’re still not officially a student yet.”

Since it’s a boarding school, maybe that’s why.

Not everyone here came willingly, but restrictions are strict.

“I see.”

The escapees seem to be treated almost like criminals.

It’s a space to keep leashes on Awakeners.

But I’m not an Awakener.

Without medicine from the doctor, I can’t fight.

Suddenly, memories of getting beaten by academy students come to mind.

If I had strength, could I have fought back?

I just went outside for a bit because there was no food at home.

Because there was no food.

I feel hungry.

“What do you want for lunch?”

“Whatever you want to eat…”

Isn’t this the way to the dormitory?

Now that I think about it, I did say let’s eat.

Let’s head to the restaurant.

There are several food shops around.

Many of them look quite upscale.

There are only a few people wandering about, making it quiet.

“Let’s go over there.”

We entered a decent-looking shop.

Indeed, it operates in a self-service manner.

“I don’t see any staff.”

“Yeah. Many places have machines that do the cooking.”

Sure cuts down labor costs.

I receive food that I can’t tell if it’s made by machines or humans.

Fried rice topped with meat?

I don’t know the name.

It’s delicious.

Much better than canned tuna.

No worries about cutting my hand on the can lid either.

*

It was just a simple, ordinary day.

A typical day of eating with a friend.

I never knew something like this was possible.

There’s no eternal uphill or downhill.

Who said that?

Now, it’s time to use the medicine.

Because my mood is going downhill.

It’s been a few minutes since I returned to the dorm.

[34 minutes]

Anyway, it’s really time to use it now.

The medicine.

The moment I held the syringe, my head was already filled with excitement.

I can feel my heart racing.

This unique anticipation.

The time of the day when I genuinely smile.

–Swoosh!

[5 hours 5 minutes]

I feel better.

The effect seems way too short.

If I ask for more medicine, would they give it to me?

Han Si-Hoo is looking at his phone screen; I wonder if he got a message.

I had bandages I bought.

Not wanting to disturb Han Si-Hoo, I entered my room.

I sat down on the floor and started.

I rolled up my sleeve and wrapped the bandage.

It’s simple.

After trying it a few times, I seem to be getting the hang of it.

The left arm is done.

Now, the right arm.

It’s not going well, so I try again.

The bandage keeps slipping from my hands.

“Seo-Ah?”

“……”

The bandage I wrapped around my arm came undone again.

I feel like I was just a bit away from finishing.

“Seo-Ah?”

Han Si-Hoo enters the room and asks.

“Uh, yeah?”

A moment of silence.

It’s not unusual to be wrapping a bandage, but it feels like I’ve been caught doing something I shouldn’t.

“I’ll help you.”

Han Si-Hoo comes closer and sits down.

“Ah, okay.”

I feel completely useless.

In this state, I’m nothing but a burden to Han Si-Hoo.

I can’t even wrap a bandage on my own.

“I’m sorry… for not being able to do this properly.”

I feel deflated.

I was doing it alone because I thought he might come to help.

I hope he’s not missing out on meeting any heroines because of me.

This vacation story can’t be that boring.

“It’s okay. No need to apologize.”

Not wanting to see the wounds too much, he wraps the bandage without looking at my arm.

He seems a bit sad.

[4 hours 55 minutes]

Even though the effect of the medicine is still lingering, I feel weird.

Maybe it’s because I can see myself objectively now that my head is clear.

I can’t just rely on Han Si-Hoo.

I want to contribute something.

“Ah, Seo-Ah, about what I mentioned earlier…”

I just finished wrapping the bandage.

“Yeah?”

“There’s a basic ability test at the academy before entrance… I have to go for that.”

“Basic ability test?”

Is it a time to see how much ability I possess?

If I were the protagonist, wouldn’t my magical power be off the charts and everyone be surprised?

Wow, a student is already this strong! That kind of scene seems likely.

Unfortunately, I’m not the protagonist.

“I’ll skip some tests; just the difficult ones or ones that would strain the body.”

“I see.”

“I can go now. There’s still some time, so I can relax before we go.”

“I want to go now.”

I want to know if I have any worth.

I can’t be completely useless, right?

I hope someone would tell me that.

We stepped out of the dormitory.

Now that I wrapped the bandage, I feel a bit more confident.

Even if my sleeves are rolled up, the scars won’t show, so I feel at ease.

“It’s not a big deal for ordinary people.”

“Okay.”

We chat as we walk.

“Don’t feel down if the results aren’t good. It’s just for Awakeners.”

“Mm-hmm.”

Is he saying not to be disappointed by the results?

Since Han Si-Hoo has probably taken the test already, he knows well.

“But what are they measuring?”

“The innate magical power level and awakening rate. And…”

I don’t understand what he means.

I thought it would be like game stats.

“Awakening rate?”

“Oh, it’s about seeing if you can handle the awakened abilities; if you’re an ordinary person, it’ll show as 0.”

“And you?”

“98. The max is 100.”

Looks like he’s recording a high score for being the protagonist.

“If you go into magic, there’ll be attribute compatibility and many more, but since I’m not a magician, I don’t really know.”

“Got it.”

I don’t really get it just from hearing.

It’s probably faster to see it directly.

“There’s a measurement device; you’ll know when you see it. It’s not difficult.”

“Okay.”

I wonder what kind of device makes that possible.

“But Si-Hoo.”

“What?”

“If I come out as a non-Awakener, is that expulsion?”

It’s odd to attend the academy without being an Awakener.

I’m just an ordinary human with no abilities to measure.

I’m not a superhuman like Han Si-Hoo.

Even on medication, I overwhelmingly lost to him.

Why did I even try to fight back then?

There was no possibility of winning.

No matter how I look at it, I can’t match Han Si-Hoo, even with medicine.

If I’m just pretending to be an Awakener, there’s no reason for me to be in the academy.

“…No, you won’t get expelled. It’s a special case.”

He thinks for a bit before answering.

A special case.

I guess it’s not that I’m special, but that Han Si-Hoo is special.

Whether it’s good not to be expelled is another question.

“I see…”

[4 hours 45 minutes]

After walking a while, time has passed.

The academy grounds are truly vast.

Is it the size of a small town?

We arrived at the place where the test would be conducted.

A clean and large school building.

It doesn’t seem to be just for testing.

No matter what, the only fact that will come out of taking the test is that I’m weak.

I hope it’s not an extreme test.

Han Si-Hoo has spare syringes, but I still don’t want the effects to wear off too much.

However, there was no need to worry.

There were several syringes prepared at the testing place.

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